The United States Air Force (USAF) has awarded an $89 million contract to Elbit Systems of America to equip its F-16 Block 40/42 fleet with a new head-up display (HUD). The display, called Wide-Angle Conventional Head-Up Display (WACHUD), enables pilots to access critical information during flights and will replace the Diffractive Optic HUD installed on some USAF F-16s. USAF announces F-16 wide-angle HUD upgrades The Air Force awarded a firm Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract to Elbit America, the US subsidiary of Israeli military technology firm Elbit Systems, to supply its WACHUD system for the USAF's F-16 Block 40/42 fleet.
The first order of the contract was placed in September and is worth over $57.5 million, while the ceiling cost of the overall contract has been set at $89 million. Elbit America will perform the upgrades at its facility in Talladega, Alabama, with deliveries due through September 2027.
Elbit America Senior Vice President of Electronic Systems, Scott Tumpak, commented, "The Wide-Angle Conventional Head-Up Display replacements provide modernization, but also commonality across the US Air Force’s F-16 fleet. This commonality benefits the pilots, maintainers and supply chain, as the single configuration is easier to manage and maintain across the entire F-16 fleet." The WACHUD system is an Israeli technology developed by Elbit.
Its wide-angle design is a step up from the narrow HUDs found on some F-16s, allowing pilots to receive a .